Combination adjusting-stretching table



NOV. 21, w M U Y COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Filed Aug. 13,1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jaemar 1'} Willa/727M111 [71y B ww/ Nov. 21, 1933.

Filed Aug. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 3 WM. m w #6 W Z w W M a Z 54 a gQ Nov. 21, 1933.

w. M. MURRAY 1, COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Filed Aug. 15,1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 2 1 1933' UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Calif.

Application August 13, 1928. Serial No. 299,171

28 Claims.

My invention relates to tables and more particularly to a table usefulin certain of the medical arts -for the treatment of the joints of apatients body, especially the vertebrae of the 5 spine, and forstretching and breaking down the adhesions of the muscles attachedthereto.

It has been found advantageous in the treatment of certain ailments tomove certain portions of a patients body relative to adjacent portions,so that the joints between these portions may be exercised. So, also, ithas been found that the vertebrae in the human spine frequently becomedisplaced, thus bearing against nerves, this being the direct orindirect cause of numerous ailments. In correcting these ailments amovement of one portion of the spine relative to another is extremelydesirable, especially if the patients body is simultaneously stretchedso that the vertebrae may return to or retain their normal position.Such operations have previously been performed by hand, with theattendant strain on the physiclan performing them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a table on which a patientmay be placed, this table being so arranged as to allow the head portionthereof to be moved through an arcuate path by mechanical means so as toproduce circumduction of the patients body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table formed of aplurality or" sections connected together by universal joint means, oneend of this table'being movable through a pr determined arcuate path soto pivot about a point between any desired pair of sections.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table wherein apatients body may be stretched, and the patients head moved through anareaate pivoting about a desired point in the patients body. Still afurther object of this invention is to provide a table having a variablepivot-point which lies above the upper surface of the table, thispivot-point preferably being adjacent the patients spine.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a tablecomprising a plurality of sections, and a supporting member which may bemove. adjacent any section to clamp this section, and any sections onone side thereof, in fixed rela 50 tionship, and to permit the ectionson the other side thereof to be moved through arcuate paths.

Still further objects and advantages of my invention will be madeevident hereinafter.

In the drawings, I have fllustrated a preferred embodiment ofinyinvention for the purposes of illustration and without limiting myselfthereto.

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4- of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a view, partially sectioned, taken on the line 55 of Fig. l.65

Basically, my invention comprises a frame resting on a floor or othersurface 11, this frame having a head structure 12 at one end and a footstructure 13 at the other. Between these structures is a table 15comprising a plurality of sections numbered respectively l6, l7, and 18bounded by head and foot sections 19 and20. The head section 19 isadapted to be moved through. an arcuate path by an operating means 22 soas to form a pivot-point in the patients body, this pivot-point usuallylying adjacent the vertebra or joint which is affected. In Fig. 1, Ihave illustrated a patient lying on the table '15.

The foot section comprises padded structures 25 and 26 which are,mounted on a block Z'lwhich is in turn held in fixed relationship with aframe 28 forming a portion of the foot structure-13 and supported bylegs 29 braced by struts 30.

The sections 16, 1'7 and 18 are inter-connected by universal jointmeans, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Similarly, the sections 16 and 18are respecively connected by universal joint means to the foot section20 andheadsection 19 of the table 15. The means connecting thesesections are identical in construction, so that a description of the onebetween the foot section 20 and thesection 16 will sufiice for all.

Secured centrally to the underside. of the padded structure 25 is a dropbar 32 which has a plate portion 33 which extends substantially 5horizontally toward the head structure 12.

A vertical bolt 34 passes through the plate por-' tion 33 and through aU member35 so as to pivot this U member on a vertical axis passingthrough the bolt 34. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this U member hasarms 36 which extend upward to a point a distance above the top; of thepadded structure 25.

Passing through the upper end ofthe arms 36, and preferably with axeshorizontally aligned with the spine of the patient, are bolts 38 whichpivot a bent bar 46 which is secured to the underside of a paddedstructure'41 of the adjacent section 16 in a manner best shown inFigsland 3. Thus, thesection 16 maybe pivoted on a horizontal axispassing through the bolts 38, and may be pivoted on a vertical axispassing through the bolt 34.

It is preferable to have these axes intersect and to have the point ofintersection inside the patients body, and near or in the spinal column,this being made possible by the arms of the U member which extend upwardon either side of the patient.

It is desirable to provide a locking means for locking certain of thetable sections together, so that all of the pivoting action takes placein one of the universal joint structures connecting a pair of sections.In accomplishing this end, I provide U-shaped guides 45 which aresecured to the underside of each padded structure of each table section.These guides may be made integral with the bent bar 40 if desired,although any means of securing them in place falls within the scope ofthis invention.

Each of these guides has a pair of legs 46, each of which has a holedrilled therein, the axes of these holes being in alignment and parallelto the underside of the padded structure. These holesare adapted toslidably receive connecting links in the form of rods 47, these rodsbeing of sufiicient length to extend through the legs of at least two ofthe guides 45.

In order to secure a rigid inter-connection between all of the sections,I prefer to provide two sets of the guides 45 on each end of each paddedstructure 51. The holes in the arms of all the guides of any one set arein alignment, so that the rods 47 may be staggered relative to eachother to hold the sections together. It should thus be apparent that bysuitably manipulating the rods 47 the table 15 may be broken between anytwo sections, thus permitting the point about which the head portion 19pivots to be variably positioned in the patients body, depending uponthe particular point at which the table is broken and also on theplacement of the patient on the table.

I have found it desirable to suitably support the section'to the rightof the point at which the table is broken, as viewed in Fig. 1. This Iaccomplish by a support structure 50, best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.This structure has wheels or rollers 51 which bear against a track 52supported on the frame 10, these wheels being mounted in a cross-bar 53.Hinged to each end of the cross-bar 53 is a primary arm 54 which is inturn hinged to a secondary arm 55 at its upper end. The upper ends ofthe secondary arms 55 bear against the under side of the paddedstructure 41 which is to be supported by the supporting structure 50.

When the primary and secondary arms 54 and 55 are in a position shown inFig. 3, the adjacent ends of these arms are in contact and form a firmsupport for the padded structure which they engage.

' For the purpose of holding this padded structure in firm engagementwith the arms 55, I provide a pair of tie-rods 56 extending downward oneach side of the table and having lower eyes 57 which are slidablyjournalled on a horizontal rod 5711 supported either by the frame 10 orthe floor 11 so that these eyes may slide thereon. The upper end of eachtie-rod has an upper hook 58 thereon which surrounds one of the rods 47which passes through the particular section to be supported by thesupporting structure. Turn-buckles 59 are provided in the tie-rods sothat the particular table section above the supporting structure may bedrawn downward and firmly held against the supporting structure.

When it is desired to move the supporting structure to another tablesection this may be easily accomplished by loosening the turn-buckles 59of each tie-rod 56 and sliding the rod 4'7 from the hook 58. Bymomentarily lifting the table section previously supported, thesecondary arms 55 may be folded inward and the cross-bar 53 moved alongthe tracks 52 until under the desired table section, after which thesecondary arms 55 may be again raised and the new table section clampedin fixed position.

It should be clear that if the supporting structure 50 is positioned,for instance, under the section 17, all of the sections to the rightthereof will be held in a manner to be immovable by the operating means22.

The operating means 22 of my invention is best illustrated in Figs. 1,2, and 5. Referring particularly to Fig. l, I illustrate a head block 60to which a pair of flanges 61 are bolted. A guide member 62 isthreadedly received by each flange 61, these guide members lying onopposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the table 15. Clampedagainst the free ends of the guide members 62 by tie-rods 63 is a member64. The guide members 62 are hollow and the member 64 has openingsaligned with the central openings of each guide member.

Extending into each guide member is a shaft 66 which is slidablyjournalled therein, each of these shafts being connected by an elbow 67to an upright rod 68. This rod is adjustably held relative to a headplate '70 by means of U bolts 71 having nuts 72 threaded thereon in amanner to clamp the upright rod against the head plate.

Extending centrally from the head plate is a tongue 73 through which abolt 74 passes. This bolt extends substantially vertically, and forms avertical pivot for a pair of plates 75, one of which lies above and theother below the tongue 73. Clamped between the plates 75 by bolts 76 arearms 77 through which bolts 78 pass, these bolts being threaded into ablock 79. The bolts 78 are in axial alignment and provide asubstantially horizontal pivot for the block '79 so that this block andthe tongue 73 are connected by a universal joint structure.

An opening 80 formed through the block 79 journals a shaft 81 having ahead 82 secured on the end thereof so that it may not be drawn from theopening 80. This shaft is connected to a block 84 which slides along away 85 formed by a pair of side members 86 clamped to retaining plates89 and to a hub structure 90 by bolts 90a. The retaining plates extendbeyond the edges of the side members 86, and partially across thechannel formed therebetween, so that the block 84 cannot be withdrawnfrom the way 85.

The block 84 and the way 85 form a part of a crank means 91 which isadapted to move the head of the patient through an arcuate path. This isaccomplished by rotating a drive shaft 92 which is suitably keyed to thehub structure 90 and journalled in bearings 93 supported by the headstructure 12. A worm gear 9a is secured to the outer end of the driveshaft 92, this worm gear meshing with a worm 95 mounted on the shaft ofa reversible electric motor 96.

It should be clear that if the block 84 were in axial alignment with thedrive shaft 92, no movement of the patients head would take place. If.however, the'block 84 is moved from this position, any desired amount ofmovement of the head may be obtained, depending upon the distancebetween the axes of the shafts 81 and 92. To permit a ready adjustmentof the eccentricity of the shaft 81 relative to the shaft 92 I providean adjusting screw 98 suitably journalled in end members 99 and 100,these end members closing the ends of the way 85.

The adjusting screw 98 is threadedly received by the block 84 so that byturning this screw the block may be moved along the way any desireddistance, thus changing the amount of eccentricity of the shaft 81relative to the shaft 92. A crank 102 is secured to the adjusting screwto facilitate this adjustment.

In order to accurately counter-balance the crank means 91 I provide anarm 103 on which a counterbalance weight 104 may be adjustablypositioned.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the universal joint formedby the members pivoting on the bolts 1 and '7 8 is pivotally connectedto the block 84, so that no rotation of this block will be transmittedto the table structure, but only the arcuate movement thereof.

It is desirable'to stretch the patients body during the time'that thehead is moving through an arcuate path. This is accomplished by meansofa head gear 110 passing under the patients chin and under his head,this head gear being connected to any pair of a plurality of rings 111which are secured to the head plate 70. The head gear 110 thus preventsthe patients body from moving away from the head plate "10 when thestraps thereof become taut. The actual stretching is accomplished by astretching means indicated by the numeral 115, this means providing acarriage 115 having pads 11'? thereon, and a foot plate 118 secured toone extreme en thereof. Rings 119 are bolted to the foot plate 118, anda foot gear 129 is passed around the ankles of the patient and throughthe ring 119. The carriage 116 is adapted to slide along the side plates28 in response to the turning of an adjusting screw 122. This adjustingscrew is journalled in end members 123 connecting the legs 29, andthreadedly receives a block 124 which is in turn secured to the carriage116 so that a rotation of the adjusting screw 122 by means of a handle125 causes the carriage to move away from the foot section 20, thusstretching the patients body to any desired .degree.

From the foregoing it should be understood that I have invented a tablewhich may be broken at any desired section to permit a rotation of a thepatients head about a pivot-point lying at the section of break andinside thepatients body. Thus, any portion of the patients body beexercised. The word body is meant to include more than the torso,ii'iasmuch as my table may be used for exercising or treating the jointsin the neck, hips, knees, ankles and arms. Thus, it should be understoodthat I am not limited to the particular placement of the patient shown,but by reversing this position and having the patients feet adjacent thehead section 19, his limbs may be suitably exercised. In the preferreduse of the invention the body is moved conically around or about alongitudinal axis extending within or through the patients body.

This conically swinging motion or circumduction is accomplished bymoving one portion of the body, such as one end thereof, around alongitudinal axis, this longitudinal axis extending preferably withinthe patients body.

I prefer to provide 'a strapping means in the form of one or more straps130' which may be buckled over the patients body, the ends of thesestraps being held in rings 131 positioned at each end of each of thetable sections 16 to 18 inclusive. Such strapping means is, however, notessential to this invention, but comprises a valuable accessory thereto.a

The U bolts '71 permit the upright rod 68 to be so adjusted that thetongue 73 may be aligned with the axis of the patients spine. In otherwords, the vertical distance between this tongue and the upper face ofthe padded structure 41 of the head section 19 is the same as thevertical distance between any of the other padded struc tures 41 and thebolts 38.

The sliding engagement between the guide members 62 and the shafts 66 isprovided to compensate for any change in the distance between the headsection 19 and the block 79. Thus, a rotation of the crank means 91usually changes this distance, and it is therefore desirable to providea sliding means between the crank means and the table, this slidingmeans being formed by the guide members and rods therein.

It is often desirable to change the direction of rotation of thepatients body. This may be readily accomplished by simply reversing themotor 96 by any well-known means.

I am not limited to the use of the head and foot gears 110 and 120,inasmuch as any type of straps may be passed through'the rings 111 and119, these straps being adapted to fit one or more portions of apatients body so that the stretching action previously described maytake place.

In its broadest aspect my table should not be limited toa plurality ofsections connected together by universal joints, but should also includeany flexible table provided with means for adjustably determining theparticular section at which the table is to bend in response to a movement of an operating means, such as the one I illustrated and describedin this specification.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination: a table along which a patient may lie, said tablebeing breakable at several points so that one part may be swung relativeto another part thereof; means acting on the upper and lower portions ofthe patients body for stretching said body; and means for rotatthehead-end of said table through. a desired arcuate path.

2. In combination: a table. comprising a number of sections along whicha patient may lie, said table being breakable at severalpoints so thatone part may be swung relative to another part thereof; and means forrotating the headend of said table through a desired arcuate path.v

3. In combination: a table havinga fixed foot portion and a movable headportion swingable on.

a pivot point disposed in a plane between the adjacent ends of said headand foot portions; and.

i. In combination: a table having a'plurality of pivot points formedtolie above the upper face of said table; and means for moving one endof said: tablethrough a closed, arcuate; path ,ex-

tending in a plane which crosses an axis extended longitudinally of saidtable.

5. In combination: a table comprising a plurality of sections; universaljoint connections between said sections; and means adapted to look aselected number of said sections in rigid relationship with each other.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which each of said universaljoint connections comprises a U member pivoted on an upright axis'at apoint below the upper surface of said sections and pivotally connectedto an adjacent section on a substantially horizontal axis at a pointabove the top of said sections. 7

7. In combination: a table comprising a plurality of sections; universaljoint connections between said sections; means extendable betweenselected of said sections to hold said selected sections in iixedrelationship with each other; and a supporting structure movable so asto rest under any desired section to hold said section stationary.

3. In combination: a table having a selective pivot-point; and crankmeans of variable eccentricity for moving one end of said table throughan arcuate path extending in a plane which crosses an axis extendedlongitudinally of said table.

9. In combination: a table having a selective pivot-point; crank meansof variable eccentricity for moving one end of said table through anarcuate path extending in a plane which crosses an axis extendinglongitudinally of said table; and a universal joint pivotally connectingsaid table and said crank means.

10. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts disposed on a longitudinal axis in primaryand secondary relationship to each other; a joint disposed in a planebetween the adjacent ends of said parts and connecting said partstogether for circumductory movement of one of said parts relative toother of said parts; and mechanism for producing circumductory movementof one of said parts relative to the other of said parts, saidcircumductory movement being about the longitudinal axis of said table.

11. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts to gether, said joint beingadapted to permit a relative movement of said parts for producingflexure of said body; body securing means on said table adjacent saidjoint; and means for exerting tension in the body of a patient on saidtable.

12. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other movably joined together; means for swinging one of said partsrelative to other of said parts; means for securing a patients body tosaid table; and means for placing tension in the patients body.

13. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together for circumductorymovement of one of said parts relative to other of said parts; andtension exerting devices adapted for attachment to said body and toexert tension therein during said circumductory movement.

14.'A treating device of the character deneeaacs scribed, including: atable having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationshipto each other relatively movable one to the other; means for relativelymoving said parts so as to produce circumduction of said body; andtension exerting devices adapted for attachment to said body and toexerttension therein during said circumduction.

15. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other relatively movable one' to the other; means for relativelymoving said parts so as to produce circumduction of said body, saidmeans comprising a mechanism having a. member movable through aprescribed path and means for connecting said member to said table in amanner to produce relative movement of the body supporting parts of saidtable; and adjustable means for determining the prescribed path of saidmovable member.

16. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together, said joint beingadapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; a rotary member; a,crank pin adjustably mounted on said rotary member; and means forconnecting said rank pin to said table in a manner to produce relativemovement of said body supporting parts of said table.

17. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts to-- gether forcircumductory-movement of one of said parts relative to other of saidparts about a pivot point disposed in a plane between said parts; andmechanism for producing circumductory movement of one of said partsrelative to said other of said parts, said mechanism including a memberadapted for movement through a closed circular path, means for movingsaid member through said path, and means for connecting said member to amovable part of said table.

'18. A treating device of the character decribed, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship 125to each other movably joined together; and means for attachment to bodyparts of a patient, to exert tension therein during the flexureresulting from movement of said body supporting parts.

19. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together and providing a pivotpoint above said 135 body supporting parts, said joint being adapted topermit rotation of the outer end of one of said parts about an axisextending longitudinally of said body; a motivating device having amember moving through a circular path; and means for 140 connecting'saidmoving member to said outer end of one of said parts.

20. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship 145to each other; and a joint connecting said parts together in such amanner that one of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts,said joint being so formed as to provide a pivot point above said bodysupporting parts.

21. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together in such a manner thatone of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts, said jointbeing so formed as to provide a pivot point above said body supportingparts; and means for placing tension in the body of a patient-on saidtable.

22. A treating device of the character described, including: a ta lehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together in such a manner thatone of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts, said jointbeing so formed as to provide a pivot point above said body supportingparts; means for placing tension in the body of a patient on said table;and means for securing the central portion of the patients body to saidtable.

23. A treating device of the character described, including: a bodysupport for a patient, having primary and secondary portions pivotallysecured together for relative swinging movement; and means for exertingtension in the body of the patient, said tension exerting means having apart capable of adjustment whereby the tension may be varied during themovement of said primary and secondary portions of said body support.

24. A treating device of the character described, including: a bodysupport for a patient, having primary and secondary portions; means forproducing relative rotary movement of said primary and secondaryportions; and means for exerting tension in the body of the patient,said tension exerting means having a part capable of adjustment wherebythe tension may be varied during the rotary movement of said primary andsecondary portions of said body support.

25. A treating device of the character described, including: a bodysupport for a patient, having primary and secondary portions pivotallysecured together for relative swinging movement; and means for exertingsubstantially constant tension in the body of the patient during allparts of said relative swinging movement of said primary and secondaryportions.

26. In combination: a table having a plurality of pivot points; meansfor moving one end of said table through a closed arcuate path extendingin a plane which crosses an axis extended longitudinally of said table;and means for stretching a patients body resting on said table.

27. A treating device of the character described, including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other a joint connecting said parts together, said joint beingadapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; and means formoving one of said parts relative to the other of said parts through anarcuate path to pivot a patients body about a desired point, said meansincluding a mechanically rotated member and means for connecting suchpart to said mechanically rotated member whereby movement of saidmechanically rotated member will be transmitted thereto.

28. A treating device of the character described,'including: a tablehaving body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship toeach other; a joint connecting said parts together,.said joint beingadapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; and means formoving one of said parts relative to the other of said parts through anarcuate path to pivot a patients body about a desired point, said meanscomprising a member moved mechanically through an arcuate path and meansconnecting said member to such movable body supporting part so as tomove the same through an arcuate path around the longitudinal axis ofsaid table.

WILLIAM M. MURRAY.

